Suction cleaner having agitator drive in air stream and unobstructed fan inlet



Nov. 13, 1956 E, SEGESMAN 2,770,000

SUCTION CLEANER HAVING AGITATOR DRIVE IN AIR STREAM AND UNOBSTRUCTED FANINLET Flled Sept 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q. km,

-IN'VENTOE. l

Lou/s E. Sages/nan BY /gwaa/ ATTORNEY.

Nov. 13, 1956 SEG ESMAN 2,770,000

L. E. SUCTION CLEANER HAVING AGITATOR DRIVE IN AIR STREAM ANDUNOBSTRUCTED FAN INLET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 3, 1955 INVENTOH.Lau/.s` E. Segesman ATTORNEY.

SUCTION CLEANER HAVING AGITATOR DRIVE IN AIR STREAM AND UNOBSTRUCTED FANINLET Louis E. Segesman, Canton, Ghia, assignor to The Hoover Company,North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 3, 1953,Serial No. 378,246 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-333) The present invention relatesto the art of suction cleaners and in particlarto a handle-propelled,oorsupported suction cleaning device characterized by the provision of arotary surface cleaning member in the nozzle driven through a belt froma pulley on the motor shaft, which belt is positioned entirely withinthe dirt laden air stream and wherein the dirt laden air stream taken inthrough the nozzle passes rearwardly along the underside of the cleanerbody over the agitator drive belt and pulley upwardly at the rear of thecleaner and thence forwardly into the inlet to the air circulating fan.

Suction cleaning devices of the general type to which my inventionpertains have suffered several disadvantages due to the fact that thepulley which drives the belt for energizing the rotary agitator in thenozzle projects from the fan structure through the inlet eye thereofforming an undesirable obstruction at this point and also greatlyinterfering with and complicating conversion of the apparatus foroffethe-oor cleaning. Constructions wherein the pulley projects throughthe fan eye are advantageous, however, in that the entire drivemechanism for the agitator is in the dirt laden air stream, which hasbeen found through long experience to give improved operation of theseparts and greatly to enhance belt life.

Cleaners have been constructed wherein the drive belt structure for therotary agitator is removed from the fan eye and the air stream, butexperience has shown that such constructions are characterized by poordriving characteristics and short belt life which is most undesirable ina domestic appliance. Conventional constructions in which the drivepulley for the belt projects from the fan eye produce a particularlyundesirable choking effect at this point because the air duct leadingfrom the nozzle to the fan must necessarily narrow down at the fan eyeat the very point where the drive belt and drive pulley come together.This is fruitful of difculty because the ights of the belt and pulley atthis restriction occasionally clog with large units of dirt.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present in# vention toprovide a suction cleaner wherein the drive belt and pulley for therotary surface agitating device are positioned entirely within the airstream but are all positioned ahead of the fan eye with respect to thedirection of air flow, whereby these elements are removed from the faneye and are positioned in a wide unobstructed portion of the air duct sothat a converting tool may be inserted into the air duct in a positionto cut off the fan from the nozzle completely but entirely free of thebelt and drive mechanism.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide asuction cleaner apparatus of the above described character wherein aportion of the air duct interposed between the fan eye and belt drivemechanism is removable for reception of a converting tool to convert theapparatus to oif-the-oor cleaning.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a suction cleaningdevice of the above described character having a removable portion ofthe air duct normally retained in operating position by a link connectedto a portion of the wheel support of the cleaner which is biased againstthe link in such a direction as to retain the nozzle in a normalcleaning position when the link is engaged with the removable portion ofthe cleaner, and in which the link also serves to secure a convertingtool in operative relation to the air duct and at the same time toreposition the supporting wheels of the cleaner so as to place thenozzle in an inoperative position for olf-thesurface cleaning.

It is another object of my invention to provide a suction cleaningdevice having a power driven surface cleaning agitator therein whereinthe agitator and nozzle are normally positioned relative to the carpetby the posi-v tion of rear supporting wheels on the cleaner structure,which wheels are biased in a direction to lower the nozzle intoengagement with the surface and are restrained by means of a linkengaged with a catch on the cleaner, which link may be engaged in aplurality of selective positions to adjust the position of the nozzlebetween a normal working position and an inoperative non-cleaningposition.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view in section illustrating a suctioncleaning apparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view in section of the apparatus ofFig. 1, illustrating the same converted for otf-the-floor cleaningoperation; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of the power plant andportions of the air ducting of the apparatus of Fig. l.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my cleaner comprises a maincasting body portion indicated generally by the reference character 1,having a downwardly facing suction nozzle 2 extending across the frontthereof communicating with a rearwardly extending duct 4, which ductextends to the rear of the cleaner and thence joins a rising section 5thereof which in turn joins a forwardly directed section 6 thereof.

The main casting 1 supports a power plant housing indicated generally bythe reference character 7 which encases an electric drive motor 8. Theshaft of the motor projects through and is supported by upper and lowerguide and support bearings 9 and 1t), respectively, which bearings aresecured to and supported by the housing 7. The motor shaft projectingthrough the bearing 9 carries a centrifugal suction air fan 12 on theend thereof positioned so that the central portion of the fancommunicates with the forward end portion of the duct 6. That portion ofthe motor shaft which projects through the bearing 10 carries a pulley13 on the lower end thereof projecting into the portion 4 of the airduct, which pulley drives a rubber belt 15 which in turn drives a rotarybrush and agitator 16, of wellknown type, rotatably mounted in thenozzle 2 in position to brush and clean a surface covering drawn upagainst the nozzle 2 by suction during the operation thereof.

The front portion of the cleaner body portion 1 is supported by frontsupporting wheels 17 which are secured to the body portion byconventional means not illustrated.

The rear portion of the cleaner body 1 is provided with a pair of spacedrearwardly projecting wheel supporting lugs 1S, only one shown, whichcarry a shaft 19. Rearwardly projecting arms 20, only one of which isshown, are pivotally supported on the ends of the shaft 19. Therearwardly projecting ends of the arms 20 support a rear wheel shaft 21on the outer ends of which rear supporting wheels 22 are pivotallymounted. A torsion spring 23 wraps about the shaft 19 between the lugs18 and bears between the body 1 and one of the projecting arms 2t) tobias the shaft 21 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l, to forcethe wheels 22 downwardly and thus tend to urge the nozzle into anengagement with a supporting surface.

eferring now to Fig. 3, taken in conjunction with Fig. l, the powerplant casing '7 is preferably constructed from a molded plastic and isformed by a lower section 25 which supports the lower bearing 1) and hasa projecting portion 26 between the bearings 1t? and pulley 13, forminga housing for a Ventilating fan 27 mounted on the motor shaft within thehousing 26. The housing 7 has an upper half 2S which supports thebearing 9 and cooperates with the housing section 25 completely toencase the drive motor 8. The upper housing 28 is provided adjacent thetop portion thereof with a laterally projectingange 29 which provides asea-t for the heads of bolts 30 extending through the ange 29 andthreading into bosses 31 projecting outwardly from the sides of thehousing section 25, Thus the bolts 3@ Serve to secure the two halvesofthe housing 7 together to form a complete motor casing and bearingsupport housing.

As is shown most clearly in Fig. l, the fan 12 is positioned above theupper surface of housing section 28 and is surrounded by a volute fancasing 32 which is preferably of metal and is secured to the ange 29 bymeans of L-shaped anchoring legs 33 carried by the peripheral surface ofthe volute casing 32 which are engaged by short screws 34 threading intothe ange 29. As is shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the portion 6 of theair duct which joins the fan eye is preferably of metal and extendsabove and surrounds a fan inlet eye 35 formed in the upper surface ofthe volute casing 32.

The air duct S up to the level of the ange 29 is formed as part of themain casting 1. The upper portion of the air duct S and the rear portionof the top air duct 6 comprise a removable duct section 4d having a hook41 on its inner end engaging under a downturned tongue 42 on the rearend of the duct-forming housing 6. The rear outside portion of the duct4d is provided with an upwardly facing hook section 43 engageable by thehook end 44 of a link 4-5, the lower end of which is wrapped about therear wheel shaft 21. The link 45 is provided with a finger-receivingopening 46 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The hook 43 on theremovable air duct 4t! serves to determine the position of the rearwheels 22 due to the tension on the link 45 and thus determines theposition of the nozzle relative to a surface to be cieaned. ln theposition of the parts shown in Fig. l, the nozzle is in a normalcleaning position and the rear wheels 22 are prevented from moving thenozzle to a lower elevation because of the engagement between link 45and hook 43.

The duct section 4d is channel-shaped in cross section and engagesagainst the outside surface of the volute housing 32 and cooperatestherewith to complete the air duct, forming a continuation of duct andjoining member 6, to lead dirty air from the duct 4 into the inlet tothe fan i2.

The volute casing 32 is provided with a rearwardly extending `dischargeduct 43 which terminates in a bias cut outlet 49. The outlet 49 isadapted to communicate with a hollow fitting 5G attached to the end of asuitable air filter 51 in the usual manner. The itting 50 is removablysecured to the duct-8 by a known type of anchoring device indicatedgenerally by the reference character 52.

As shown most clearly in Fig. l, the main casting 1 is provided at theside thereof with upwardly extending wall' portions 54 which abut theunder side of the ange 29 and are secured thereto by suitable Vstuds 56extending through holes S6' in the ange 29.

T he volute casing 32 and duct section 6 are preferably or" metal andthe conduit section di? is a molded plastic given a ydecorative tnishwhich will match a decorative plastic housing 57 secured by lanysuitable means to the upper portion of the casi-ng 1 and cooperatingwith the dust sectio-n di? to enclose the top side and forward portionof the casing 1 and the mechanical structures associated with the casing'7.

The front Wall section 54 of the main casting 1 extends around the frontof the casing 7 in spaced relation to the main body thereof to form achamber for a dirt finder lamp 58. The lamp 58 is supported by a socketS9 secured to and depending from the iiange 29 in any desired manner. Areector 59 is also secured to the under side of the flange 29 andextends downwardly between the lamp 58 and the housing 7. The Walls 54and the lfront portion of the housing 57 are provided with alignedopenings 6% and 61, respectively, to permit the light from the lamp 5Sto shine forwardly of the cleaner and also to form Ventilating exhaustports as will be described.

The main casting 1 is provided with cooling air inlet ducts 63 at thesides thereof adjacent the rear on opposite sides of the duct 5. Airadmitted through the ducts 63 ilows into the space between the casings 1and 7 and thence into an air inlet port 64 formed in the upper half ofthe casing 7. Air supplied through port 64 flows over the variousportions of the motor to cool the same, thence to the fan 27 from whichis discharges through a port 65 in the fan casing 26 and flows upwardlybetween the upper wall of duct 4 and casing '7 into the chamber housinglamp 58 and then outwardly through the ports 69 and 61. Thus the fanserves not only to cool the motor but to keep a cooling air streamflowing across the lamp S8 and those portions of the plastic casing 7which are adjacent thereto.

As shown most clearly in Pig. l, the apparatus may be propelled by asuitable handle 67 secured at its lower end to a bail structure 63pivoted at 69 to the lower portion of the main casting 1 on oppositesides thereof.

In order to convert the apparatus for off-the-surface cleaning theoperator inserts a ringer in the opening 46 and raises the link l5 untilthe hooks 43 and 44 are disengaged. After this is accomplished, theconduit section 4) is easily removed by lifting the rear end of the sameand rocking the hook Sections 4l and l2 out of engagement with eachother. A converting tool 70, see Fig. 2, is next inserted into the upperportion of the gap formed by the removal of the conduit section 4b andis provided on its end with a hook-shaped section 71 which engages underthe flange 42 on the duct member 6. Itis apparent from Fig. 2 that theconverting tool 70 completely blocks communication between the ductsection 6 and the duct 5 so that all air drawn by the fan from thechamber 6 must be supplied through the converting tool 70 which isadapted to be connected to a iiexible hose 72 which may carry suitableknown type dusting tools on its operating end.

The converting tool 70 is provided with a depending hook 73 which isadapted to be engaged with the hookshaped end 44 of the section link 45.After the converter '70 is inserted into the operating positionillustrated in Fig. 2, the operator places a finger through the opening46 and draws the link 45 upwardly lagainst the tension of spring 43until the hooks 73'aud 44 are engaged. This action serves to anchor theconverting tool 70 tirmly in its nalposition and to raise the rearwheels relative to the main `casting 1 whereby -the nozzle 2 andagitating device 16V areV now raised above floor engaging operatingposition. As a consequence of this operation, the agitating device 16may be permitted to `rotate at full speed duringof-the-floor cleaningoperations without imposing a load on the motor and without engaging asurface covering on which-the cleaner might happen to be resting.

It is characteristic of the foregoing construction'that the entire drivemechanism from the motor shaft to the rotary agtating device i6 isencased within the dirty air stream and is positioned completely withina portion thereof which is ahead of the point at whichk the air conduitenters the fan casing. As a consequence of the foregoing, the belt andpulley mechanism always operates within the dirty air stream but withoutrestricting the inlet to the fan and in a portion of the air ductingwhich may be made very wide if desired to prevent choking of the airduct by the belt and pulley structure. In addition to the foregoing, theconverting tool is inserted into the air duct at a point between thepulley and fan inlet so that complete cut-off of the nozzle is achievedwithout interference from the agitator drive mechanism and withoutaffecting that mechanism in any way.

Whiie l have illustrated and described the invention in considerabledetail, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in thearrangement, proportion and construction of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. ln a suction cleaner having a main body portion provided with asuction cleaning nozzle across the front thereof and a rotary cleaningdevice mounted in the nozzle, the combination of an electric drive motorcarried by the body portion, a suction air fan driven by the motor,means forming a suction air duct for conveying dirt laden air from thenozzle to the fan, a drive pulley driven by the motor positioned in theair duct, a belt forming a driving connection between the pulley androtary cleaning device positioned in the air duct, said pulley and beltbeing so positioned in the air duct relative to the fan that said airduct includes an elongated section between the belt and pulley and thefan free of obstruction, said elongated section of the air ductincluding a removable portion providing for the insertion of aconverting tool to interrupt communication between the fan and nozzle toconvert the apparatus for otf-thefloor cleaning, surface engaging meansfor supporting said body portion including wheels adjacent the rear ofthe body portion, means mounting said wheels for movement relative tothe body portion for adjusting the position of the nozzle relative to asupporting surface, means biasing said wheels downwardly to lower thenozzle relative to a supporting surface, a tension member engagedbetween said wheels and the removable portion of the air duct forlimiting movement of the rear wheels by the biasing means to place thenozzle in a normal operating position and to hold the removable portionof the air duct in operative position.

2, Apparatus according to claim 1 including a converting tool insertableinto the apparatus in place of the removable portion of the air duct toconvert the apparatus for oif-the-floor cleaning, and means on theconverting tool engageable with the tension member for holding the rearwheels in a new position in which the nozzle is raised to an inoperativeposition and for holding the converting tool in operative relation tothe air duct.

3. A suction cleaner having a main body portion provided with a suctioncleaning nozzle at the front thereof, a rotary cleaning device rotatablymounted in the nozzle, a suction air fan, a `drive motor aranged todrive the fan and cleaning device, and an air duct for conveying dirtladen air from the nozzle to the fan, characterized in that the air ductincludes a removable portion spaced from the fan between the fan andnozzle and completely free of drive mechanisms for the cleaning device,an adjustable supporting device for the body portion including a movablesurface engaging member biased to move in a direction to lower thenozzle into engagement with a supporting surface, and a holding memberengaged with the removable air duct portion and the surface engagingmember to hold the removable air duct portion in operative position andto restrain movement of the surface engaging member to position thenozzle in a normal cleaning position.

4. In a suction cleaner having a main body portion provided with asuction cleaning nozzle across the front thereof, a rotary surfacecleaning device mounted in the nozzle, a suction air fan, an air ductfor conveying dirt laden air from the nozzle to the fan, said ducthaving a removable section adapted to be replaced by a converter elementand an electric motor drivingly connected to the fan and surfacecleaning device, the combination of surface engaging supporting wheelsattached to the body portion adjacent the front thereof, surfaceengaging supporting wheels movably attached to the body portion at therear thereof, means biasing the rear wheels to move downwardly to lowerthe nozzle with respect to a supporting surface, a tension link havingone end thereof engaged with the rear wheels, means forming a detachableconnection between the other end of the tension link and the removableduct section to limit movement of the rear wheels by the biasing means,and said tension link being formed with an opening adapted to receivethe operators nger when actuating the link to disengage the detachableconnection.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

